


Fire not Light (Don’t Confuse the Two)

by ChaoticBabe



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bethel is a boring place to live, F/M, Mental Health Issues, They’re bank robbers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-16 17:54:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18526630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticBabe/pseuds/ChaoticBabe
Summary: Kate Fuller was bored, then two brothers rode into town.





	Fire not Light (Don’t Confuse the Two)

**Author's Note:**

> AU were the brothers lay low in Bethel for a spell  
> No beta

Bethel was a quiet town located in the middle of Texas, the perfect place to settle down and raise a family. It was a safe a place, filled with well meaning neighbors who all regularly went to church.

In short it's the kind of place where nothing bad really happens, nothing happens at all. 

While the community isn't so small that everyone knows everyone (one or two loners at most still their faces are known) it does however only have one high school, one church, and one sad dinky movie theater that will never get fixed up because it's a historic landmark. It’s that kind of place, where you would have to drive twenty miles out to find the nearest shopping center that wasn't a locally owned store.

The whole town is pretty cut off from the rest of the world. Thank god for the internet, or else they may never know what goes on past their front doors.

Yes Bethel is a nice, safe place, and Kate Fuller, who happens to be the towns preacher's daughter, well she's just as sweet as can be, don't you see the the demure smile, the cardigans over sundresses, always has a kind word to say, yes she looks the part just fine.

Perfect preachers daughter.

And yet underneath all that, well Kate's just plain bored.

It's true, no one knows of course, not even Scott in all his teenage rebellion has taken notice.

Which isn't surprising, shes been playing at good church girl for so long the motions are near muscle memory.

Kate’s been feeling this way for a couple years now, you wouldn’t notice though, because she still believes in God, wishes her neighbors well, and genuinely loves her family. 

Theres nothing to take notice of, even if her face tends to go blank when no ones looking.

She's afraid there might be something wrong with her, because truthfully shes not sure she feels much of anything anymore, like when you try to hear someone speak underwater, there's sound but it's dull and looses its luster by the time it reaches your ears.

Everything is just muted.

Originally she though finally getting to go to school would change that, till junior year Scott and her had been home schooled which meant being shut away from others more often than not, daddy was ever so protective of them, and at first there was definitely a change for the better. Even if the only reason this came about was because of her mothers sudden resurgence of depression, she's not an idiot her mother is unwell and powerful he maybe God can't fix that just from prayers.

But soon enough, after the initial relief of starting school she felt as dazedly un-tethered as ever, maybe she was sick like her mother. If so what hope was there for her, her father had been clear with how he handles mom, god can fix this, he can fix anything, he's all any of them need.

Well Kate needs more than God. 

Some days she even wants to yell it in his face, but doesn't have it in her to behave so vicious unprovoked. Instead she sighs, continuing to smiling on cue. No one notices how it hasn't reached her eyes in years.

In the spirit of being self sufficient she decides to try something new, try to cure herself.

Starting school helped for a bit, it had been a change in daily life, maybe another like getting a boyfriend would help. And oh, what a kind boyfriend she got, he looked as rebellious as bethel gets, almost a hippie vibe, sure there are better looking jocks but they all act so similar to one another kate can't tell them apart. Kyle though is one of a kind.

At least that's what she thought.

At first her father disapproves, its the long hair that makes the older generation think he's up to no good, but soon she finds out just how wrong both her and her dad are. No Kyle's not so different underneath his untrimmed hair. In fact he's a regular good old church boy, sends her bible verses through text and everything. He's like all the the other church going boys.

Kate wants to love him, she does truly, but she can't and after a while she barely notices he's there, doesn't even really enjoy kissing him the much.

Despite her permission to hold her a little more closely, a little more firmly, he persists in giving barely there touches, which is fine for someone else.

Kyle is sweet and kind, he loves Kate dearly, and she wishes him the best, the best away from her preferably.

By the time senior year starts Kate has broken up with Kyle, it's the talk of the town, there's nothing much else for people to talk about.

Her parents are worried at first, well her dad is, mom barely leaves the room if it isn't Wednesday or Sunday, Kate assures everyone he didn't do anything wrong - really daddy he was a perfect gentleman - pretty soon they believe that her, they just weren't well suited.

A little more time passes, and Kate starts to wonder whats the point.

She's so fucking bored.

Then something changes, two someone’s really.

In the middle of September they come roaring into town, no seriously the car engine almost shook the ground. 

They give the allusion of appearing from thin air, two men, brothers, come to bethel to stay for a while.

While it's not wholly uncommon for people to move here, they do time to time renting one of the few apartments on the edge of town, still it's not a thing common.

They rent a small house, it used to belong to Old man John, but he moved into a retirement center a year ago, his family for lack of any better ideas or want to move, just put the little place up for rent.

Nothing odd in that.

And yet these brothers are different.

Kate can't help but notice.

She hears all about them before even laying eyes on them.

By the end of the day it would be a surprise if more than a handful of people somehow hadn’t heard about them, never mind that they haven’t been here more than hours. 

The brothers come into the people of Bethels lives wearing nice sharp black suits, shiny ray bans hiding their eyes.

Kate hears plenty more, and as curious as she is, (she is plenty curious) she puts it out of her mind, after all she’ll see them eventually it’s a small town. 

By the time school lets out on Friday Kate still hasn’t caught more than a glimpse of their car, shiny and all edges, it’s early yet to be disappointed since they only came in with sun rise on Wednesday.

After staying a little late at school, she’s on the homecoming committee, Kate walks to the convenience store off of main street before going home.

All the way In the back, basking in cool air leaking from the door she holds open lazily browsing for a soda, she hears the chime of a new customer entering

The Sound of shoes against hard linoleum rings out from behind.

The owner of said shoes comes to a stop beside her, looking through the glass door. She doesn’t even bother to look who it is, reaching inside for a drink.

”You hot or something.”

The voice is ruff and unexpected enough that Kate almost jumps as she snaps her head to the side.

Its one of the brothers, it has to be she knows everyone else. He wears a suit just like people said, standing a good foot taller than her, his head turned to the side looking at her, with blue eyes hidden behind horn rimmed glasses, looking directly into hers.

She sees what all the fuss has been about, he’s handsome.

”Excuse me?” She asks half because what does he mean by that, and partly because she’s simply a little confused at the moment.

Gesturing with one hand to the door she still holds open, “You feeling too hot? Looked like you’d been standing there for a minute.” Not once yet has he looked away from her eyes, it should feel unnerving. It doesn’t feel that way at all.

Trying to focus on the conversation, she feels a blush rush up her cheeks, god she’s just staring at him. “Oh no, I’m fine.”

Gently she lets the door fall closed as the man across from her nods his head still not looking away, “You just looked sick or something, thought the heat might have gotten to you.”

She’d been Standing there in a daze, it’s no wonder he got that impression, “No really, I’m fine.” He doesn’t look convinced.

His gaze on her doesn’t let up any when he turns his body to face her fully. 

Not sure what to say next, but wanting to keep the conversation going, her manners take over, “I’m Kate Fuller, I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Gently offering her hand out to shake, he takes a step towards her, with a smile crawling up his face, easing it into something soft, he clasps hands with hers.

“Richard Cruickshank”

Somehow his last name doesn’t quite seem to fit. 

He’s started to point to the drinks about to say something, when the door chimes once more.

”Richie, hurry up will you. How long does it take to get a couple of drinks and some smokes?” The mans voice trails off at the end as he rounds the corner catching sight of them.

Dressed similar to his brother, if slightly less done up, they look like a matching set, this ones just slightly shorter with dark eyes.

Clearly this family had good looking genes.

”Seth meet Kate Fuller. Kate this is my brother Seth.” 

Richies smile has turned into something wide, she’s struck with the urge to hug him, he just looks so pleased. 

Looking back at the latest stranger, she sees him slowly loose a tenseness in his shoulders that she hadn’t noticed at first.

Turning to her, an eyebrow quirks up, he asks,”Kate is it, the preachers daughter?”

It’s a testament to both the towns size, and the residents gossiping ways that a stranger knowing who her father is isn’t surprising.

He’s subtly looked her up in down, in a way that’s more like sizing up a threat than anything else. 

It rubs her the wrong way.

Bristling slightly a sarcastic edge creeps into her voice, “Yeah that’s me, the preachers kid.”

Laughter highlights his voice when he goes on, “Shouldn’t you be at home princess, it’s getting dark out. Not safe for little girls like you.”

Asshole.

“Why, are you planning on doing something to me?” Her tone dismissive.

He’s moved into her personal space, eyes darkening,  voice low and seductive “You never know princess.”

She’s doesn’t know how to respond to that, he’s trying to intimidate her, yet her body feels overly flushed at the moment muddling all her thoughts.

She won’t just take that though.

Steeling her self she straights her shoulders, leans close, and Seething reply’s “Fuck You, asshole.” It’s not clever by far but the message is at least clear.

Laughter booms out loudly from his brother, while Seth licks his lips.

Turning on her heel she goes.

Already out the door, a voice calls out.

“See you around Katie.”

See her around they did. Suddenly there is no escaping these two snakes. And they are snakes. 

The following Sunday they join her church. Sure everyone is welcome in the house of god, but these are not church going men.

They slither in with nice tailors suits and charming words. None the wiser.

Seth looks at ease when her father personally welcomes them, Richie just keeps looking around the room then to her. 

Ever the good shepherd, he invites the brothers to sit next his family during the service, Seth’s whisper in her ear of, good to see you princess when the sermon starts leaves her hot in places she’d rather not admit.

 They are invited to come over for dinner. 

“That sounds great, we’ll be there.”

Already the town loves them, they’re writers you see, and came to live here for a while, just to get away from the city.

During dinner Seth glances at her when he mentions how he was surprised with the hidden treasures the town had. Her father beams and rambles about all the best nature spots nearby.

Snidely she suggests they think of wearing something besides a suit if they go hiking. 

Dad glares at her, but oh how those two grin, you’d have thought they won the lottery.

Lies spill easily from Seth’s mouth, and everyone eats them up.

Everything about these two seems to put her on edge, no one else notices.

They make her skin buzz, always aware of where they are in a room.

They’re bad men, with pretty faces, and if she was really as good as everyone says she would say something.

But, she doesn’t want them to leave. Kate says nothing, to anyone.

For one real reason at first.

Kates not bored anymore.

Sure they are asshole who lie with every other word but she feels awake with them around. They’re around a lot.

Richie and Seth soon become a part of her daily life.

One of them always shows up halfway through her walk home from school. 

Mainly they talk, Richie seems to have an endless expanse of knowledge. She’d listen to his voice all day. 

Seth is all jokes, and intimate banter.

No one ever comments on why this starts, it just does.

Besides she has always preferred to walk home alone, therefore there’s no need to explain this development to others.

Both seem somewhat fixated on her, that’s okay the feelings mutual.

A couple weeks pass and they take turns picking her up in the car instead of just walking her. Going back to their place watching black and white westerns, they know all the lines.

She tells her dad she’s joined some clubs, she has to stay late now, he doesn’t question it for a second.

Guilt over lying to her family never comes, no matter how long she waits.

Sometimes she goes swimming in the pool around the back of their little house.

Richie watches keeping her company, smoking all the while.

She never sees them writing. She never expected to.

They do look over plans, the blue print kinds that show a layout of a building. Never once do they bother to hide this after the first time. 

Over time they begin to hold her closer on the couch. Small touches here and there becoming more frequent, lasting longer.

Kate wants more but doesn’t know how to ask.

One day she just decides she won’t ask at all, crossing the small distance between Richie and her when she catches his gaze lingering on her mouth.

Seth comes home to her sitting on his brothers lap while he kisses his way down her neck. 

Richie rubs his hand soothingly on her hip, turns to the stunned Seth, “Wanna join brother? Katie doesn’t mind.” And she doesn’t.

She wants them both, sin or not.

All the same she bites her lip at this, slightly embarrassed. “Come on Seth.”

He’s spurred into motion.

They do a lot more than watch movies now.

Still they attend church Sunday, sit with her family, one usually quietly whispering dirty things in her ear thought. 

Moms too gone to notice and Scott’s all the way on moms other side. From afar it all looks so innocent. No one the wiser just how friendly they really are with each other.

They manage to keep this appearance up even after she’s learned how to make them both say her name like a prayer.

True devotion takes place in the bedroom. 

Everyone has secrets. Everyone lies. They just have a few more than most.

She’s seen the scars on their bodies, there’s only so many ways a person can get hurt like that.

Hell Seth’s been teaching her how to pick locks. Richie goes over how to take care of a gun, “You have to keep it clean Kate, you don’t want it to jam on you when you needed it.”

One Sunday she over hears a conversation, about a string of robberies that happened a couple months back, a few towns north of them. Apparently the robbers were brothers. The Gecko brothers. “How terrible.” They all say, before moving on to the topic of lunch plans.

Kates skin itches.

She discretely watches them over a cup of stale coffee, as they make their way to her from the front of the church.

Everyone, always wants to talk to the handsome brothers. So classy in black.

The description of the bank robbers (they looked like such gentlemen wearing suits) sounds _terribly_ familiar.

Kates not stupid okay, she knew they were trouble from the start.

No she’s not stupid, but when she simply smiles brightly at the _Cruikshank_ brothers coming her way, thinking about if robbing a bank is as fun as it sounds, well she starts to wonder if something about these two makes her a little bit dumb.

Maybe she just doesn’t care when it comes to them.

Yes these are bad men, these gecko brothers. Bad men who are looking at her like they want to eat her up. She’s the only holy thing they need.

Kate feels loved. 

And is it so wrong to want to keep that feeling? Was it such, a sin to want to keep them?

Maybe, but at this point she’s pass such a basic worry.

No the real concern is when will they skip town. Because she now knows they have only been laying low.

February hits suddenly, times creeping up, a clock counting down.

”When are you leaving?”

Its all but blurted out one afternoon, it’s something she has to know even if she doesn’t like the answer. They’ve been getting antsy. It’ll be soon. She knows this.

The real question isn’t one she can bring herself to ask.

”Soon, princess.” 

He can’t look her in the eye, working his jaw back and forth. He turns to Richie. They have a whole conversation with that look.

”You’re coming with us aren’t you Katie?” Leave it to richie to ask the hard questions without flinching.

Seth swears hat him without any real heat to it. They’ve talked about this when she isn’t around.

”You want me to?”

The next few hours are spent showing her just how much they want her around.

Kate starts carrying around her passport and few other things she might need. 

Then before the month is up things change for Kate again.

Rumbling to a halt their car pulls up beside her walking home one day, this time they’re both in it.

Kate leans into the open passenger window.

“Want some company?”

Twin grins are flashed her way. She climbs in the back.

Plans are already in motion, Richie gecko always had a plan. They’ve been casing a bank, two towns to the east, it’s where they’ve been running off to lately.

Why it’s only ever been one of them that picks her up till now.

They’re going to rob a bank. Well multiple ones, a long spree across the state.

Crossing the boarder before the week is up.

Kates throwing away her future if she does this. All for this pair of brothers and the and the way they make her feel.

”You can just stay in the car if you want. You don’t have to do this.” Its Richie that says it but Seth is nodding his head in agreement from behind the wheel.

”Give me a gun.”

They hand her one along with a white dress. She’s got to look the part after all.

”How do you feel about the beaches in Mexico, Princess?”

”I think, I’d like to see them for myself.”

Richies smirk is a wicked thing, as Seth laughs catching her eye in the rear view mirror.

No Kate isn’t bored at all anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it


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